Changing Three Modem ZTE MC888 to your 5G Outdoor Router with Eero 6.

[NevG]

I live in an area of Bolton where it's only possible to receive a 5G broadband signal outdoors and 4G only indoors. I live in  bungalow and a couple of months ago I moved the ZTE MC888 router to a position as high in the loft as I could get it. Lo and behold I got a good 5G signal. (My contract with Three is for 5G broadband).  Unfortunately every now and then it reverted to 4G briefly. Recently Three informed me that they were doing some work on the masts and now I can only get 4G in the loft and no 5G whatsoever.  These are the masts on Crompton Way and Winchester Way in Bolton. Something is preventing me getting 5G and I am wondering whether an external aerial could improve the signal strength. Unfortunately there's no aerial connection on the  MC888 router so that's not possible. Is there a mechanism in Three where my current contract can be renewed in favour of your 5G Outdoor modem? I spent nearly 2 hours on the phone this afternoon to your customer services, sales, then technical services getting nowhere with this query. I'm happy to extend my contract as the current one expires in August 2025 so has less than 12 months to run.

[NevG]

Sorry for the delay in replying.  I've just checked the Network Status Checker for my postcode and there are no problems reported. (Checked on 21/10/24 at 17.15)

I've rechecked the router positioning in the loft today and found a position where the network fluctuates between 4G and 5G. On 4G it shows a good signal with the 3 signal strength LEDs lit.  Intermittently it switches to 5G with just 2 LEDs lit.  In addition the router positioning function reports the signal strength is poor when in 5G mode.

The Three website informs me that only 4G is available at my address but having previously experienced 5G consistently with a good strength signal to the ZTE MC888 router I'm extremely disappointed that this is no longer the case.

[KateS]

Hey @NevG,

Thanks for getting back to us.

I can appreciate how disappointing this must be. You mentioned receiving a notification of work being carried out in the area, I'd suggest reaching out to our Home Broadband support team, as they'll be able to check this out and discuss the lack of 5G availability in the area now.

Thanks,

Kate

[NevG]

Is there a phone number for this Home Broadband support team? Are they located in the UK or is it based as part of your overseas call centre where I have difficulty in understanding their accents?

[JonathanB]

Hi @NevG,

You can find a number or the option to start a chat on our contact us page. Yes the team is based overseas, but they'll do their best to help troubleshoot your issue and find a solution.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[NevG]

Your website invites me to try your new 5G Outdoor Hub which I would like to do. I'm sure this will help my reception and quality of the 5G signal to my home which deteriorated following work carried out on the local mast by your engineers. According to your customer services the only way I can do this is by cancelling my current contract, which  expires in 12 months, and taking out a new 2 year contract for the Outdoor Hub. I'm happy to do this,  however they insist on me paying a termination fee of approx £250 on ending my current contract. If I was leaving Three I could understand it but why should I pay a termination fee as an existing customer when all I would be doing is extending using Three as my broadband supplier?

[PeteG]

Hey, NevG. 

It's disappointing to hear you're having issues with your connection since the last time work was done. It's unclear what would have changed to cause a reduction in the performance of your Hub. 

I'm not sure if replacing your existing Hub in that way is an option. It's also unclear if an outdoor hub would actually help in this scenario, so it might not be worth jumping straight onto one anyway. If you can, you could try testing your indoor hub outside in or around the location you think an outdoor hub would be placed, then test out the connection there to see if it actually makes a difference for you. It might end up that you don't want one of the outdoor ones anyway. 

If you do see improvement in the connection while outside vs inside, all I can recommend it speaking to the team again and letting them know your findings. Hopefully they can come up with a solution. 

Pete.

[NevG]

I've checked outside all around my house ( a bungalow) for a 5G signal with my MC888 router. Especially at the gable end which faces the two closely sited 5G transmitters. I've tried as high as possible but nowhere can I get a 5G signal.

I was getting a decent 5G signal with the router in my loft before I went away on August 27th.  I returned on September 24th and since I can only get 4G. SO WHAT'S HAPPENED? I was informed by email that some work was being carried out on the transmitters, presumably maintenance work or even upgrades but whatever has been done has prevrnted me receiving 5G. I'm not happy at all and would like some answers, 

[JonathanB]

Hi @NevG,

I'm so sorry to hear about this situation. So just to recap:

• Previously the router picked up 5G in the loft space
• Since recent maintenance you can only get 4G
• You've tested the router closer to the mast, and it's still capable of picking up 5G (so unlikely to be a fault with the router)
• Now, nowhere in your property is 5G signal picking up on the router, and you've tested every viable place you could position the router.

Are we stating on our Network Status Checker that we're aware or working on any issues in your area? Please let me know if I've got everything correct, and whether there's any known issues on the status checker, and I'll check how we can investigate further.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[NevG]

Thanks for response and I apologise for the delay in replying to it.

I was told it could not be done and that I would have to upgrade now by taking out a new 2 year contract and paying an early termination fee of approximately £250. Either that or wait until my current contract expires next year. That's without knowing whether it would work. 

What makes me more angry is that I was getting an adequate 5G signal with the MC888 in my loft with a brief reversion to 4G very spasmodically.  I went away for 4 weeks and left it connected. During this time I received messages from Three informing me that work was to start on the 5G transmitters in my area. (BL2 postcodes). Since I came home on September 24th I found that I cannot now receive 5G, only 4G with a very variable download speed.

Thinking it may be a router glitch I took it to places near the transmitters, two of them fairly close together would you believe, and the router picked up the 5G signals immediately. 

Today, as it's not raining for once, I want to try the MC888 outdoors in various positions to see if it picks up a 5G signal. Will report back.